Mr. Magoo circles at the end of his leash as round and round we go.
The bright sunny winter morning is frigid with a temperature of 20 below. My little pug searches for the perfect spot at which to lift his leg.
I realize that in this cold temperature, he must hurry to do his business before he becomes too cold to function. He, of course, doesn’t know that. He has his doggie priorities.
I point to several yellow spots left by other dogs. They look good to me. Magoo checks them out one by one and finally comes to a halt. Maybe this is it! Maybe this morning will be easy.
I cross my fingers. But he moves on still sniffing for just the right spot; apparently my suggestion doesn’t rate.
He stops to eat a snowball, one of his favorite treats and continues his quest.
“Do something!” I implore. My nose is turning into an ice cube.
It’s going to be one of those mornings…soon he will freeze and be unable to move. That’s not exactly true; he will somehow find the strength to make a mad dash for the front door.
As predicted, he suddenly lifts up left rear paw, gives a pleading look and begins pulling me towards the front door with an amazing burst of three legged strength.
I sigh and open the front door, thinking of the old adage, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” Well, the same idea applies to pugs doing their “business.” You can bring a pug out in the snow, but you can’t make him lift his leg.
I’ll try again in an hour when the day warms up a bit.
Watching Magoo dash happily around the living room, celebrating what he must consider a narrow escape from death by freezing, I wonder how I ever entered this wussy world of small dogs.
My life as a dog owner life began with a malamute who was tough as nails, often sleeping outside in the snow with her tail tip covering her nose. Cold weather didn’t faze her. She hunted mice and voles under the snow, slept on the cold wood floor of our Tucker lake cabin and loved it.
My next dog was hundred pound Chocolate Lab, a formidable and majestic retriever as well as a loving family dog. He would easily swim through Lake Superior’s tumultuous waves and loved running alongside our ATV for miles whether summer or winter. He didn’t mind the cold.
Three more dogs have lived with me, including my current yellow lab, Goldie, and all were tough, strong and big, able to function in cold weather, even when they didn’t like it. How did I ever enter this world of wimpy little canines?
I know the answer. I’ve loved all my dogs and Magoo has a place in my heart along with the others. He may be a wimp about cold weather, but he’s a great lap sitter and a very affectionate little guy. He’s not big and tough (although I don’t dare tell him that) but he is a loyal and faithful mini companion.
And if I’m lucky the temps will rise above zero in a few hours and he will go outside without hesitation.
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